Daly City man pleads not guilty to biting parents in fight over family cat

Yevgeniy Bolshakov, 26, pleaded not guilty to felony assault charges after he allegedly bit his parents and threatened to burn down their house in Daly City. (Courtesy San Mateo County Sheriff)

REDWOOD CITY -- A Daly City man pleaded not guilty to felony assault charges Monday after prosecutors say he "viciously" bit both of his parents and threatened to burn their home down when they denied him visitation with the family cat, prosecutors said.

Yevgeniy Bolshakov, 26, pleaded not guilty to charges that he attacked his parents in their shared Daly City apartment during a fight over the family cat, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.

Bolshakov had just returned home from a Thanksgiving trip, and asked his parents to see the pet he missed while he was away.

His parents went on to tell him that the cat, who has just had surgery, was not up for having visitors, Wagstaffe said.

The man reportedly lashed out at his 64-year-old father, punching him repeatedly in the head and biting a chunk of flesh out of his arm before moving on to his elbow and chin.

Bolshakov then punched his 52-year-old mother and bit her hand when she tried to intervene, Wagstaffe said.

When police responded and led the man away, he yelled that he wanted to kill both of his parents and burn their apartment down.

Bolshakov was booked into San Mateo County Jail on two felony counts of assault and making threats, and one count of mayhem, Wagstaffe said. He will return to court Dec. 16, and remains in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail.